Edward Arthur Toth is an American musician and drummer for

The Doobie Brothers The Doobie Brothers are an American rock band formed in San Jose, California in 1970. Known for their flexibility in performing across numerous genres and their vocal harmonies, the band has been active for over five decades, with their greate ...

, an American rock band. Toth joined the Doobie Brothers in 2005 following his departure from

Vertical Horizon Vertical Horizon is an American alternative rock band, formed in Washington, D.C. Vocalists and guitarists Matt Scannell and Keith Kane started the band in 1991 when they were students at Georgetown University. The band have undergone multiple ...

Early life

Toth says that he has been drumming most of his life. He made good use of his father's record collection and was active in all music programs in East Lyme, Connecticut, playing in his high school band at East Lyme High School.

Education

He went on to attend the

University of Miami The University of Miami (UM, UMiami, Miami, U of M, and The U) is a private university, private research university in Coral Gables, Florida, United States. , the university enrolled 19,852 students in two colleges and ten schools across over ...

's Frost School of Music, where he received a

Bachelor of Music A Bachelor of Music (BMus; sometimes conferred as Bachelor of Musical Arts) is an academic degree awarded by a college, university, or conservatory upon completion of a program of study in music. The degree may be awarded for performance, music ed ...

degree in 1994. While still at the University of Miami, Toth became a member of the funk and rock band Jennifer Culture.

Vertical Horizon

Toth has played in numerous other rock and funk bands over the last decade. Most notably, he was a member of

from 1996 to 2005, which yielded a multi platinum album ''Everything You Want'', the title track of which also charted #1. Toth's association with the group began when he was working at a

Boston Boston is the capital and most populous city in the Commonwealth (U.S. state), Commonwealth of Massachusetts in the United States. The city serves as the cultural and Financial centre, financial center of New England, a region of the Northeas ...

Borders Books; The mother of Vertical Horizon's lead singer and guitarist Matt Scannell was shopping in the bookstore and met Ed, who asked for a Vertical Horizon CD. He listened to the CD and quite enjoyed it. His enthusiasm for the recording impressed Scannell's mother so much that, in gratitude for the assistance she received at the store, she offered to put the bookstore manager and a friend on the guest list for a Vertical Horizon show at Mama Kin, an

Aerosmith Aerosmith is an American Rock music, rock band formed in Boston in 1970. The group consists of lead vocalist Steven Tyler, bassist Tom Hamilton (musician), Tom Hamilton, drummer Joey Kramer, and guitarists Joe Perry (musician), Joe Perry and B ...

-owned nightclub in

. Toth went to the show as the manager's friend, and when the band had an opening for a drummer Toth auditioned for the spot.

Doobie Brothers

Toth is the fifth and current drummer for the

Doobie Brothers The Doobie Brothers are an American rock music, rock band formed in San Jose, California in 1970. Known for their flexibility in performing across numerous genres and their Vocal harmony, vocal harmonies, the band has been active for over five d ...

. Keith Knudsen died of cancer in 2005. Knudsen's successor Michael Hossack ultimately did not continue on with the band and died in 2012. Hossack, in turn, was succeeded by Tony Pia, who ultimately left the band. Following Pia's departure, Toth became the sole drummer for the Doobie Brothers in 2005 and remains in this capacity presently. Toth says he has been influenced by

Stewart Copeland Stewart Armstrong Copeland (born July 16, 1952) is an American musician and composer. He is best known for his work as the drummer of the British rock band the Police from 1977 to 1986, and again from 2007 to 2008. Before playing with the Polic ...

Neil Peart Neil Ellwood Peart ( ; September 12, 1952 – January 7, 2020) was a Canadian and American musician, known as the drummer, percussionist, and primary lyricist of the rock band Rush (band), Rush. He was known to fans by the nickname "the Profe ...

Bill Bruford William Scott Bruford (born 17 May 1949) is an English drummer and percussionist who first gained prominence as a founding member of the progressive rock band Yes. After leaving Yes in 1972, Bruford spent the rest of the 1970s recording and tou ...

, and a host of other drummers. He has also produced some critically acclaimed albums and started a band called Cooper along with Tim Bradshaw, a friend of Toth's.

References

External links

Amarillo Globe News: Vertical Horizon, Bookseller's life changed by joining band
{{DEFAULTSORT:Toth, Ed American rock drummers People from East Lyme, Connecticut University of Miami Frost School of Music alumni Vertical Horizon The Doobie Brothers members Living people Drummers from Connecticut Year of birth missing (living people) American male drummers